Adelakun

[Drover]

He is a free agent on 30th June,but unless I have missed something,which I admit,am very capable of,I've not seen any talk or rumours where he might be heading,anyone else seen anything?

[Wild Rover]

Didn't someone say USA.

[Arsenal Of The North]

Last I read was Barnsley were in talks

[Nudga]

Last I heard was Leyton orient

[drfcsteve]

We’ve clearly moved on and signed adequate replacements. Be interesting if he ended up somewhere else in league 2, he’d be kicking himself.

[The Dav]

I’m still convinced if he came knocking on Grants door he’d get a positive welcome ! You just can’t ignore his talent ! 

[les@donr]

It would have to be on our terms not his.

[ravenrover]

And he wouldn't be gettng £5k a week

[adamtherover]

You'd have thought that he turned us done due to having some serious alternative irons in the fire? Which do seem to maybe not have worked out?

[Chris Black come back]

It’s probably mostly about cash but not all. We are playing in the fourth tier. He joined us on loan from a side in the third tier. He excelled with us. No reason to suggest he can’t get a move to a third tier side. It’s pretty grim in League Two let’s be honest. Look at the sides you’d be playing against in League One. World away.

[Chris the Rover]

He didn’t exactly excel playing in League 1 with Lincoln, did he? Perhaps League 2 is his level when it comes to shining.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

You'd have thought that he turned us done due to having some serious alternative irons in the fire? Which do seem to maybe not have worked out?

He's got plenty of time to weigh up his options.

I highly doubt he'll be knocking on anyone's door. His agent does all the knocking for him anyway. We've moved on, so has he.

[Chris Black come back]

I’d give him a round of applause in the warm up if he came up against us. Made a real difference for us, even if his penalty was a disgrace.

[Ryaldinhio]

I wouldn't have him back now. Like GM said at the end of the season people need to want to be here and want promotion. We can't go back to being last option. We made an offer, he rejected, that's fine we have moved on, best of luck to the lad.

[normal rules]

Without Haks, there is no way rovers would have gone on last seasons amazing run.

[Spilsby Red]

There were other factors too not just because of him. Thank you to his contributions but he didn’t want to sign. We move on

[Alan Southstand]

The keeper, TLT, was the greatest catalyst, as the defence improved almost immediately (as a few of us predicted). Woods came back in and partnered Anderson. Then Close got injured at Bradford and Craig moved alongside Bailey and, boom, we looked a solid team. Then Hakeeb came along and added sparkle to the attack.

[RoversInSpain]

The keeper, TLT, was the greatest catalyst, as the defence improved almost immediately (as a few of us predicted). Woods came back in and partnered Anderson. Then Close got injured at Bradford and Craig moved alongside Bailey and, boom, we looked a solid team. Then Hakeeb came along and added sparkle to the attack.

Agree with all of that, so the big question is….in everyone’s opinion, do you think we have replaced those three in regards to quality and influence with the signings we have made?

[anton123]

The keeper, TLT, was the greatest catalyst, as the defence improved almost immediately (as a few of us predicted). Woods came back in and partnered Anderson. Then Close got injured at Bradford and Craig moved alongside Bailey and, boom, we looked a solid team. Then Hakeeb came along and added sparkle to the attack.

Agree with all of that, so the big question is….in everyone’s opinion, do you think we have replaced those three in regards to quality and influence with the signings we have made?

Only time will tell but we can’t win every week like we did last season but over a season I think we have enough to be up there

[Reg of the Rovers]

The keeper, TLT, was the greatest catalyst, as the defence improved almost immediately (as a few of us predicted). Woods came back in and partnered Anderson. Then Close got injured at Bradford and Craig moved alongside Bailey and, boom, we looked a solid team. Then Hakeeb came along and added sparkle to the attack.

Agree with all of that, so the big question is….in everyone’s opinion, do you think we have replaced those three in regards to quality and influence with the signings we have made?

It's a good question, in many ways Haks is the easiest to replace - we've added flair in spades with Yeboah and Gibson, and goals and quality with Sharp and Sbarra. The new keeper looks like a TLT replacement, a footballing keeper with quality. It's Craig's replacement I worry about most, Clifton has a great engine but lacks the finesse, Close has the finesse but lacks the engine and ability to turnover and play forward - Bailey is perhaps the solution - build a strong midfield around him and we'll be ok. 

[turnbull for england]

Taking McCann at his word , Haks has shot his bolt anyway. Was quite clear that offers would be made and accepted or not and then we moved on. Not saying he would cut his nose off to spite his face if Haks did want to reconsider, but he's not in driving seat if he did . I think he's replaced anyway and the chances of him hitting that form again aren't high. I reckon we will just look back on him like Akinfenyas cameo by time we win league

[karldew]

With how many Crawley need to replace it wouldn’t surprise me if he ends up there

[Avsuptem]

Yes, Haks fired up the 2nd half of our season wonderfully and we should all appreciate that but his form  seemed to diminish a bit towards the end. Maybe it was a confidence thing or the oppo all had him worked out by then. Whereas one wishes him well it would not be surprising if his stats revert back to his Gillingham or Lincoln days, wherever he goes.  Clearly he needs a Manager who can get the best out of him and there's only one Grant McCann.  It's no great loss being rid imho or maybe even a blessing in disguise.

[Campsall rover]

The keeper, TLT, was the greatest catalyst, as the defence improved almost immediately (as a few of us predicted). Woods came back in and partnered Anderson. Then Close got injured at Bradford and Craig moved alongside Bailey and, boom, we looked a solid team. Then Hakeeb came along and added sparkle to the attack.

Agree with all of that, so the big question is….in everyone’s opinion, do you think we have replaced those three in regards to quality and influence with the signings we have made?

It's a good question, in many ways Haks is the easiest to replace - we've added flair in spades with Yeboah and Gibson, and goals and quality with Sharp and Sbarra. The new keeper looks like a TLT replacement, a footballing keeper with quality. It's Craig's replacement I worry about most, Clifton has a great engine but lacks the finesse, Close has the finesse but lacks the engine and ability to turnover and play forward - Bailey is perhaps the solution - build a strong midfield around him and we'll be ok.

While I love TLT & Haks as you say they were the easiest 2 to replace and I think with Lowe ( forgotten his full name ) as keeper and Gibson we have replaced with equally as good, maybe even better, we shall have to wait and see. Mathew Craig on the other hand was a revelation during that last 3 months of the season and without him we would not have reached the play offs. His partnership with Owen Bailey in midfield gave us solidity and bite which we had sadly been lacking in recent times. Not only that but they both were good on the ball also and could find a telling pass to create an opening.
What we hope now is one of our other midfielders is going to step up to the plate and do the job Craig did for us, whether that be Clifton, Westbrooke, Close or Broadbent. I am assuming Clifton will be the 1st choice pick by GM to fulfil that role. I trust his judgement but it needs to have been the right one because personally I don’t see the other 3 players having the tenacity that Mathew Craig had.
Obviously GM sees something in Broadbent that most of us supporters haven’t seen yet and he thinks he can step up to the plate. Close and Westbrooke for me are ball playing midfielders and are very different animals to Craig.
Sabarra is the obvious replacement for Biggins and will play the attacking midfield role. He can play wide also.
Lots of options for GM and we have serious competition in every position on the park.
The jigsaw looks complete on paper if the Mathew Craig position has been sorted.
Can’t wait for the season to start and it’s been a few years since I said that at the end of June.
Bring it on.

[Alan Southstand]

Imho, no. Not all 3, anyway. I think we are a ‘Craig’, or the ‘Craig’ away from having a very good squad. It’s good now, but to be champions, I’m not so sure.

Keeper - unknown quantity - another factor to throw in the mix. We are all hoping that he is as good as TLT, but until we see him?

Sbarra - not up on my National League sides and have never seen him, but going on all reports, we should be ok with him.

Clifton is another I didn’t take much notice of, when we played them last season, so we wait on that one.

I think Yeboah could end up being our ‘surprise package’, as nobody really knows much about him! The front end of the team, on paper, looks very exciting indeed.

[scawsby steve]

Imho, no. Not all 3, anyway. I think we are a ‘Craig’, or the ‘Craig’ away from having a very good squad. It’s good now, but to be champions, I’m not so sure.

Keeper - unknown quantity - another factor to throw in the mix. We are all hoping that he is as good as TLT, but until we see him?

Sbarra - not up on my National League sides and have never seen him, but going on all reports, we should be ok with him.

Clifton is another I didn’t take much notice of, when we played them last season, so we wait on that one.

I think Yeboah could end up being our ‘surprise package’, as nobody really knows much about him! The front end of the team, on paper, looks very exciting indeed.

Joe Sbarra is class, Alan. I saw him play for Burton in the Championship a few years back. I believe he ended up playing for Solihull after an illness had interrupted his career.

In the National League play-off final, he just looked light years ahead of anyone on the pitch.

[Jonathan]

I agree that we are another dominant midfielder away from having a very competitive squad.

I don’t understand any animosity towards Haks. He came in on loan and was superb. He’s not accepted a longer offer and that’s his prerogative. If he came back to us I’d be open to that as he has the ‘x factor’ even though his performances visibly dipped towards the end and we are now well stocked in that area.

[Chris Black come back]

Close, Westbrooke, Broadbent, Bailey, Clifton and Sbarra. How many central midfielders do people want?!

[adamtherover]

Close, Westbrooke, Broadbent, Bailey, Clifton and Sbarra. How many central midfielders do people want?!

those first 3 showed last season they weren't up to being an i tegral part ofa winning team..I can't be the only, one shocked when close was given a new deal..

[Jonathan]

Close, Westbrooke, Broadbent, Bailey, Clifton and Sbarra. How many central midfielders do people want?!

Another one